Chapter V: A Sad Fate, the End of Love

He didn't know how long the blissful moment lasted, his eyes seeing a brief speckle of light in the distance.

"Yuffie, I...."

She put her finger to his lips to silent him, Yuffie laid motionless on his chest until the end of the ride. She walked away without saying a word and Zack went to his room at the hotel. A truly odd turn of events, his life was slightly more complicated. Did this mean that Zack was responsible for a life now? Or would that moment be soon forgotten by the both of them, something spurred by the moment never to arise again?

"Yuffie...Kisaragi..."

He looked to his bed, he never slept anymore, but as he lay there his senses dulled and eventually, he fell into a restful slumber. Zack awoke the next day, groggy but feeling better. He, for the first time, felt peace within himself. He liked it, no worries, as if he was a new man. He left Golden Saucer and laid in the grassy fields nearby just enjoying the breeze.

"She opened up a single emotion in one moment...that can make me feel this good?"

Wake up Zack.....

"Who are you!?"

Why are you worried about me, Cloud may die at any moment....

"Cloud's in trouble!!?"

Zack woke up from his nap to see a burning Highwind nearby, a smaller ship beside it. He wasted no time, he leaped off the ground and sprinted to the ships, Cloud's life meant his own. He arrived and climbed a rope onto the ship, the sound of gunshots echoing through the blue sky.

"I can't believe your still alive!"

These words were all Zack heard before he saw the familiar man in the white tuxedo.

"RUFUS!!! I'LL KILL YOU!!"

A battle-worn Cloud charged toward him only to be shot down by the "People's Fear," Rufus' Ultimate Weapon. When had Cloud regained consciousness he didn't know but Zack walked in.

"First-Class SOLDIER member Zack?"

"Long time no see Rufus, your father killed me but even a felled spirit can return for his just desserts."

Rufus didn't understand how in the world he had returned but it didn't matter. Rufus raised his gun and saw that Zack didn't falter, and he shot his old friend right on the spot. As the smoke cleared from Rufus' eyes he saw that in that brief moment Zack had drawn his enormous Buster sword and deflected every tiny pellet fired.

"No way, your...not human..." Rufus said astonished.

He began to fire at him madly, each shot knocked back, Rufus taking steps backward and Zack walking forward.

"You have angered the earth Rufus...and nearly faltered my vengeance, it's time for you JUDGMENT!!"

Rufus' gun clicked and you could see the perspiration dripping from his face.

"...Verdict is...guilty...sentence: death..."

Rufus was trying to reload his gun, his shaky hands dropping every shell he attempted to load.

"Limit Level 4: Shadow Crusher"

Zack rushed at Rufus and grabbed him, he wrapped his body around his and dove over the side. Rufus screaming as his and Zack's body, now roaring with searing black fire, plummeted down to earth. As impacted was imminent Zack roared from his mouth, "CRUSH!!!" His body seeming to explode with a darkness, the darkness not sucking, in but annihilating everything around it in a massive growing sphere of destruction. The dirt, ocean, dessert beside them and the ships all engulfed in the growing hell. Then the 'crush' dissipated. Leaving a crashed Highwind and a new river that filled the dessert. The crew of the Highwind searched, but it was Yuffie who found Zack. His body was tattered, surprising that he was even alive...

I grow tired of this Zack! Kill him!!

"No even killing him wouldn't achieve anything."

It's why you were reborn, kill him now, or I will....

Zack opened his mind to his sub-conscious and saw Sephiroth waiting before him.

"You are too tired to fight for control, don't worry when you awaken everything will be in order."

And with that Sephiroth took the limelight.

Zack's body that laid beaten on the ground levitated, Yuffie had already left to get the others. His body radiated blinding light, followed by an ear-piercing cry. Zack's hair changed to a light silver color, his eyes to green, and his buster sword slowly slimming down and elongating into the Masamune.

"To think that he's killed all other threats except Cloud is actually very comical."

All except Cloud couldn't believe their eyes. Cloud had already fought Cloud when he had fought Zack and transformed into a hybrid, now things were much worse.

"Now pay your crimes puppet...."

I WON'T LET YOU CONTROL ME!!! Zack screamed from within himself, knocking himself back in control. He looked at them, then to Yuffie directly. "Yuffie I'm sorry, my eyes will be forever clouded in darkness." His black chocobo lifted him onto it and they ran off, Yuffie knowing that to continue trying to help him would be futile.